lewis



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. G. LEWIS.

BBN-GH VISE. 210,279,260. 6. j. Patented June 12,1883.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

M. Gr. LEWIS. BENGHVISE. No. 279,260. Patented 'June 12,1883.

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UNITED STATES' MORTIMER 'PATENT FFICE.

G. LEVlS, OF LOXVVLLE, NEV YORK.

BENCH-VISE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,260, dated June 12, 1883. Application filed September 20, 188e. (No model.)

.T all wiz/0m it may concern 'Be it known that I, MORTIMER G. Lnwis, ot Lowville, -county of Lewis, and State of New York, have invented certain new and uset'ul Improvements in Bench-Vises, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreferenee marked thereon.

My invention has relation to bench-visos, and particularly to the construction and arrangement of the adjustable jaw, by which the inclination of the bearingfaces of the two j aws with respect to each other is varied, in order that articles with sides not-parallel to each other may be clamped and firmly held; to means for setting and holding the adjustable jaw when required; to the swivel connection with the bench, whereby the entire vise may be turned as convenience may demand; and to the means of adjusting the slide-bar and the lvise-head upon lthe bar, and indicating and limiting the position of the head with respect to the bar.

The purposes or objects of my invention are to provide the vise with a strong and durable jaw having the required adj ustability about-a vertical axis, and a seat therefor with extended and protected bearing-surfaces, so as to insure a firm, unyielding grasp upon the article clamped, and one not likely to become damaged by hard usage or heavy work, or clogged up by chippings or filings, the joint being simple and 4inexpensive and permitting the ready removal of the jaw from the visehead; to provide a simple, efficient, and handy means of "setting and holding the movable jaw parallel with the other when required, to provide a foundation for the vise, having a swivel .connection therewith, and simple.positively-acting means for securely holding the vise in any position to which it maybe turned; to provide a simple, strong, and durable ratchet-level' for holding the slidebar in any position to which it may be readily and quickly set; and to provide a simple and convenient indicator by whichthe position of the head with respect to its limit of adjustment may be accurately and instantly determined, and the head be prevented from being accidentally displaced.

` To accomplish all of this my improvements involve certain novel and useful peculiarities of construction and relative arrangements or combinations of parts, all of which will be herein first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a side elevaA tion ot' a bench-vise constructed in accordance with my invention and embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, and Fig. 3 a top or plan view. Fig. :Jc is a cross section and elevation upon a plane passing through line ng :r of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section and elevation showing the adjustable jaw and front vise-head detached from each other and from the slide-bar, the jaw being rejnfesented as turned into position ready to be inserted in the socket prepared for itinthe vise-head, and showing the indicator in position upon the head. Fig. Gis an elevation of the vise, showing the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1, the jaws being represented as opened, andthe front jaw, which is adjustable upon the movable slide-bar, being represented as occupying a position intermediate ot' its limits ot' adjustability.

ln all these figures like letters ot' relerenee indicate corresponding parts.

A is one head of the vise, carrying the jaw l't is capable of being turned by reason of the application thereto of a swivel connection, which will be hereinafter explained.

l) is the traveling head of the vise, mounted upon a slide-bar, E, and adjustable back and forth upon said bar by means ofthe screw F, which turns within the bar and carries the head D back and forth, accordingly as the screw is advanced or retracted. The jaw GA is cast or otherwise formed with a pillan-a, intended to enter a socket, b, formed for it in the top ot' the head D. At the base ot' c is a projecting hal'tring or shoulder, c, and within the socket b is a corresponding interiorlyprojecting halir'ing or shoulder, (I.- A recess, c, in the upper-part oi' the head l) accommo- B, and inten ded to be mounted upon the bench. i

dates a corresponding enlargement, j', upon the j aw- G, and the ledge g rests or bears upon fthe upper'face, h, of head1). The jaw being iro turned with respect to head D, as represented in Fig. 5, its pillar may be inserted in the socket provided for it. Then, upon turning the jaw, the ilange or half-ring c passes under flange d, the upper face of the former bearing against the under face ot' the latter, and the two parts are thus securely held so as to permit movement of the one with respect to the other only in the desired circular direction.

To make the parts with little expense I cast the jaw and head substantially in the form represented in Fig. 5. Then, for all ordinary forms of vises, it will be only necessary to finish up the beari 11g-faces ofc and d, seat 71, and ledge y. All the work of finishing is circular, and may be readily accomplished on an ordinary lathe, whereby much expense is saved.

The pillar is made large and strong, and the bearing-surfaces are so extended as to afford a iirin seat for the jaw, (the face 'r/ being a complete circle and the flanges c and d half-cireles,) insuring perfect steadiness, under heavy work or blows, in whatever position the movable j aw is likely to be turned. The jaw completely covers the socket, so that clippings or tilings are excluded from the joint, and the jaw thus kept free and clear to be easily moved whenever required. at the base of the pillar affords -an extended bearing against the under surface of the halfring upon Vthe interior ofthe socket in all positions to which the jaw is likely to bc turned for use. The jaw is always free to turn Aautomatically as soon as brought to bear against any inclined or irregular piece ofwork, and does not require an adj usting or tangent screw, asin some forms of vices. The provision of the projecting' half-rings, as described, also obviates the formation of a groove in the pillar, enables one to instantly locate thejaw or disengage it by simply turning it, (face to the rear,) and then lifting it up, and the joint is always iirln, durable, and steady, not being liable to damage or wear, as in the styles of vises in which the swivel -jaw is held by a movable plug or screw.

To set the jaw G as is sometimes required) rI employ a screw, H, amply large and strong for the purpose. This screw passes through a tang, I, depending from or formed with the movable jaw, and sov located as to be protected by the overhanging end of said jaw, at the same time arranged so as not to interfere with the free movements of the jaw when the screw is loosened. Being connected with the jaw, the tang and its screw are protected at all times, no matter what the position of the jaw may be.

To hold the jaw firmly, as well as to facilitate the seating of the screw, it (the screw) is provi ded -with a slightly-conical head, fi, entering a correspondingly-tapering perforation made for it in the wall of the head. Under this construction it will readily appear that by setting the screw i'irmly in its place the jaw will be forced to assume its proper parallel Vbase- )ieee y(l coverinf)` the bed- )late K.

The projecting half-ring to assist the operation.

position, and this with a degree of accuracy not attainable by other means heretofore commonly employed. The conical head fi prevents accident-al unturning of the screw by reason ot' the friction against the walls of its conical socket, and it automatically adjusts itself to correspond with any wear. The screw ,being (so to speak) wedged to its seat, the jaw is held jaws may be similarly arranged to turn upon vertical axes, if desired.

The head A is slotted to accommodate the slide-bar E, and is mounted upon a circular The base-piece C is provided with a central. boss or stud, I, fitting a circular aperture in the bed-plate, and the two plates are connected by the bolt lt, which enters the boss, an ordinary washer, w, being employed to reduce friction. The union thus made permits the vise to be revolved upon its foundation, and at the same time affords a solid, simple, cheap, and durable joint between the two parts. To hold these parts in any position to which they may be relatively adjusted, the bottom plate is provided with a series' of radial apertures or recesses, m m, &c., and the plate C carries a hand-lever, L, hinged thereon, as between the standards a o1, and provided with a projection, o, adapted to enter the said recesses. Byelevating the end of the hand-lever the projection o is disengaged from the bottom plate,

IOO

when the vise may be turned, using the lever Upon depressing the lever the projection o enters one ofthe recesses and securely locks the vise upon its foundation. To facilitate engagement of the lever the proj ect-ion o is made slightly wedge-sha1 ed. The plate C covers the series of recesses, whereby they are kept free of chippings, &c. Suitable ears, p p, afford means for securing the vise upon the bench.

rlhe bar E is slotted on its under side to aeeommodate the ratchet-lever M, hinged therelIO in at the rear, as at 1', and at a point well elevated, so that any pressure upon the hinge will tend to force the other end ofthe ratchetlever down, or crowd it into closer contact with the rack, with which its teeth engage.

A rack-bar, N, suitably secured upon plate C, has teeth or scrrations to correspond with those upon lever M. Y

A finger-piece, s, projects down through an elongated slot in the bottom of head D, convenient to vthe hand of the operator.

It will beradily understood that by elevating the ratchet-lever by the 'finger-piece the" slide-bar .will be free to be rapidly drawn out. The teeth are preferably so cut that the slide- V bar may be pushed in without raising the ratchet-lever. The harder the work is compressed between the two jaws the tighter will the ratchet-lever and rack-bar be forced together, so that there is no danger of the slidebar slipping. The finger-piece, being out of the way, (beneath the vise-heath) will not be accidentally moved, and when the bar is set to any position the ratchet-lever automatically falls into adjustment withthe rack-bar. These are marked advantages over the frictionclamps heretofore proposed for holding the rapidly-movable slide-bar.

By use of the quick-setting slide-bar the jaws are brought nearly to their required clamping position, as is well understood. rlhe clamping is completed by use of the gathering-V screw F, which moves the front jaw upon the slide-bar. rIhe socket in the slide-bar for the reception of screw F is made plain for ashort distance from the front end, and large enough to admit ofthe ready insertion of thescrew. Beyond the plain part is the female screw, well removed from the end.

At t is theusual collar upon the gatheringscrew. The movement of the head D upon bar E is called the gathering movement. The position ofthe head with respect to the end of the bar cannot be seen, and it becomes important to provide means for determining this position, so that when thevise is in use the head will not be drawn out too far, nor yet moved in too far 5 otherwise suiiieient play might not be afforded in one direction or the other to admit of the proper gathering after the vise-head has been set by the ratchet-lever.

Upon the movable head D, and preferably upon the left side ofthe vise, as indicated in Fig. 6, I. secure a thin strip, O, slotted shown, and arranged to move in close proximity to the side of bar E. ln the bar is embedded a pin or screw, u, which projects through the slot in strip O, and serves to indicate the position of the head with respect to the bar E, and also serves as a detent, by which the head is prevented from being accidentally withdrawn from the end of the bar. The pin is intended to be kept at about the middle of the slot, when the head will be in position to be either advanced or retracted, as occasion may require, when the work is to be clamped by turning screw F. This attachment is simple Vand effective, is always within view of the operator, and in no way interferes with the proper working of the vise. To remove the head t-he pin u is iirst disengaged from the bar.. y

The improvements as above explained will be found to admirably answer' the several purposes or objects ofthe invention as previously set forth.

I do not desire to be understood as making bination of the socketed vise-head having the plain bearing-surface on top, and the movable jaw provided with the bearing-ledge resting upon said surface and covering the socket, the two parts being locked together by the two semicircular projections or half-rings, and arranged to turn one freely within the other, 7 this combination not being of my original invention. A

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy 1. In a bench-vise, the vise-head, socketed as explained, in combination with a pillar upon the jaw, provided with an interiorlyprojecting half-ring located above the bottom ofthe socket, a circular 'recess above the halfrirrg, and a circular seat for the jaw upon the top ofthe head, and the movable jaw combined with said vise-head, substantially as shown and described.

In combination withthe movable jaw, the setting-screw mounted in a tang upon one side of the jaw, and provided with a conical tip made to engage with a correspondingtapering perforation in the side of the visehead, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination with the socketed vise head and the movable jaw mounted thereon, the depending tang for the setting-screw, located and arranged upon one side of the jaw, as explained, so as to be protected by the overhanging end of the jaw, the said tang being movable with the jaw and around the upper Vpart of the socketed vise-head, substantially and for the purposes set forth.

4, In a bench-vise, the foundation or bottonr plate provided with a series of radial recesses adapted to receive a projection upon the setting-lever, said lever being hinged upon the base of the main vise-head, and the latter arranged to turn upon the recessed bottom plate, substantialfv as shown and described.

The combination ofthe bottom plate, recessed as explained, the base of the visehead swiveled vthereon by the boss and hohling-bolt, and the projecting hand-lever hingedupon the base of the vise-head and arranged to lock the two parts together, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In combination with the slidebar, a ratchet-lever hinged thereon, and arranged to engage with a stationary rack-bar upon the base, said lever being provided with a projecting finger-piece, substantially as shown and described, and for the purposes set forth.

7. In combination with the adjustable slidebar and the nrovable vise-head mounted thereon, an indicator-plate attached to and movable with t-he vise-head, and arranged to show the position of the head with respect to the ,end of the slide-bar, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.,

8. AIn combination with the movable head IIO mounted upon the adjustable slide-bur, the I have hereunto Set my hand in the presence oi' indioatonplate, slotted as explained7 and oontWo Witnesses. neoted with the head7 and the pin or detent applied upon lthe btu and Working in the slot 5 in the indicator-plate7 suhstantyiallyas and for WvitneSses:

t-he purposes sot forth. JOHN BUCKLER,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I WORTH OSGooD.

M. G. LEVIS. 

